Rail chamfering machine



Sept. 18, 1934. H. c. JAMES El AL 1,974,141

RAIL CHAMFERING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4. 1931 6 Sheets$heet l gwwzMto m, Henr 6. James Edd/a r0 (Z flea 7/"87'6 se i. 18, 1934. H. c. JAMES H AL 74,

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Sept. 18-, 1934. 1-1. c. JAMES. EI' AL RAIL GHAMFERING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Henry 6. James Edward J Hear/er:

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7 RAIL CHAMFERING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4. 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 f Jmmstou lien? 61 James Edward II Weavers Patented Sept. 18, 1934 iii;

RAIL CHAMFERING MACHINE rated, St. Paul, Minn,

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a corporation of Minne- Applicatien December 4, 1931, Serial No. 578,942

4' Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for chamfering rail joints, and particularly to a readily portable machine for operating on a railway track in situ.

As is well known, the ends of rail sections at the joints are spaced to varying degrees and after a period of use the metal from the faces of the rails is caused, by the impact and pressure of the wheels, to protrude where it interferes with the proper expansion of the rails under temperature changes. According to the modern practice, it is desirable to remove the metal which protrudes.

kind with a novel rotary cutterwhereby a joint.

may be chamfered with a minimum expenditure of time and work.

Other objects are to provide a chamfering machine requiring the services of but a single operator and of such. compact form and light weight that the operator mayquickly and easily remove it from the track when necessary, as in case of the approach of a train along the track "which is being chamfered.

The invention also includes certain other novel features of construction which will be more fully.

pointed out in the following specification and claims. i Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the best form of our device at present known to us;

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the machine mounted on a rail to be chamfered; I Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine and rail;

Fig. Sis a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 4. is a partial section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5' is a'vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figs. '7 and 8 are diagrammatic side and end views respectively showing the traverse stop, gear segment and rack in operative position;

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar side elevation and end views showing the traverse stop mechanism in inoperative position; and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the cutter to joints having the rail ends spaced differently.

In the drawings, the numeral 12 indicates a rail having a joint'13 across the top of which a chamfering cut is to be taken. We employ a rotary cutter 14 for forming the cut. This cutter is fixed on a horizontal shaft 15 extending parallel to the rail 12 and above the same. Bearings 16. support the shaft 15 on a cutter carriage 17 and this carriage also supports suitable bearings for a shaft 18, the shafts 15 and 18 being connected by pinions 19. On one end of the shaft 18 a beveled gear 20 is provided for driving the cutter and this gear is arranged to be driven by a beveled pinion 21 fixed on a horizontal shaft 22. Bearings for the shaft 22 are fixed on the carriage 17. The carriage 17 is movable substantially vertically along three vertical guides 23. The lower ends of the guides 23 are secured to a bottom plate 24and at their free ends the guides are secured to a horizontal plate 25.

Revolubly connected to the carriage 17 and extending upward therefrom is a large screw 26 for adjusting the position of the carriage 17 vertically.- This screw 26 has a handle 2'?- on its upper end and a threaded shank portion engages in a threaded head 28 fixed on the plate 25. Above the head 23 a lock nut 29 is provided to secure the screw against creeping or accidental movement. The bottom plate 24 slidably engages guides 30 extending across the rail 12 on longitudinal frame members 31 forming part of the main frame of the machine. Transverse frame members 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 are provided to rigidly connect the frame members 31.

.A motor or engine 37 (Fig. 3) may be supported on the frame members 32 and a drive shaft 38 extends horizontally from said engine and has bearings 39 supported on the transverse frame members 35 and 36. Suitable speed-reducing and driving connections are placed between the shaft 38 and a shaft 40, the latter being approximately in alignment with the shaft 22. These connections include a pulley'l fixed on the shaft 38 for driving a pulley 42 freely revoluble on the shaft 40, the pulley 42 being driven by a pair of belts 43. Rigidly secured to the pulley 42 is a sprocket wheel 44 connected by a chain 45 to a sprocket wheel 46 freely revoluole on the shaft 38. A smaller sprocket wheel 47 is integral with the sprocket wheel 46 for driving a chain 4.8

trained on a sprocket wheel 49 fixed on the shaft 40.

A flexible connection is placed between the shafts 46 and 22. This connection includes a fiexible coupling 50 joining the shaft 48 to a longitudinally splined shaft 51, a long sleeve 52 slidably engaging the shaft 51 and a flexible coupling 53 joining the sleeve 52 to the shaft 22. The couplings 56 and 53 are of the common types for transmitting rotary movement between axial alignment with each shafts slightly out of other, each coupling having a flexible disk 54 (of heavy leather or suitable composition) through which the power is transmitted.

A large lever 55 is provided to actuate the cutter carriage transverse the rail to be chamfered. This lever 55 has a suitable pivotal support 56 on the transverse frame member 33 and a gear segment 57 fixed on the lower end of said lever to engage and actuate a horizontally extending rack 58. The rack 58 has a suitable guide secured to the frame member 34 and is fastened at one end to the plate 24 supporting thecutter carriage 17. By this arrangement of connecting elements, movement of the lever 55 is caused to traverse the cutter 14 across the top of a rail from one side to the other.

The frame of the machine be supported directly on the top of the rail 12 during the operation of chamfering but to facilitate movement of the machine from provision is made for elevating the frame above the rail and supporting it on flanged wheels 59 adapted to run on the rail.

68 having a pivotal connection with the main frame member 31. Extending upward from the wheel is a thrust rod 61 connected at its upper end to an arm 62. Each arm 62 has a pivotal support 63 on an auxiliary frame member 64 and an integral, upwardly projecting arm 65 carrying a nut on its upper end for engagement with a horizontally extending screw 66. The nuts engaging the screw 65 have pivotal connections with the arms 65 and, near one end, the shaft by the operator.

Means are provided to engage the sides of the rail to square or properly position the frame relative to the rail in a substan ially horizontal plane. This mechanism has a pair of fixed contact screws ,69 depending from the main frame members 31 and opposite each of these screws is placed a slidable pin '10 having a hardened point for engaging the rail. At one end each of the pins '70 has a head '71 and suitable bearings '72 project 1 downward from the frame members 31 to guide I said pins and heads. Confined between each head '71 and one of the bearings '22 is a coiled spring 78 for normally retracting the pin '70 from the rail. A pair of cams '75 for actuating the pins '70 are fixed on a horizontal shaft '74. The

shaft '7 4 has suitable bearings depending from the frame members 31 and fixed on one end of said shaft is a lever '76 to be actuated by the foot of the operator to turn the earns '75. This lever '76 "is normally elevated while the cams areheld.

of the cut to the spacing of the rails.

one rail joint to another,-

As best shown in Fig. 1, each wheel is mounted on a forked armout of operative position by a spring '77 which is secured at one end to the shaft '74 and at the other end to the frame member 34, an intermediate portion of the spring being coiled on the shaft '74 in such manner as to normally elevate the free end of the lever '76.

Projecting downward adjacent to a side of the rail 12, is a wedge shaped gauge element '78 arranged to perform the double function of aligning or centering the cutter with the rail joint and indicating the degree of spacing of the rails at each joint to facilitate proportioning the depth The wedge element '78 is integral with a plate 79 which is bolted to the bottom of the plate 24, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. A bracket 86, secured to the top of the plate '79, carries on its upper surface a finger 81 adapted to coact with a scale 82 mounted on one of the frame members 31 to indicate the degree of spacing of the rails at the joint. The scale 82 is elevated on a bracket 83 to position it properly relative to the finger 81. It will now be understood that the gauge element 78 is movable with the cutter carriage and is inserted in the rail joint until it stops movement of the carriage. With the element in this operative position, the degree of spacing of the joint is indicatedby the finger 81 on the scale 82.

r The element '78 is normally located on the side of the rail opposite the cutter 14. To permit movement of the carriage in such a direction as to bring the gauge element in engagement with the rail a stop finger. 84 (best shown in Figs..3, '7, 8, 9 and 10) must be retracted out of engagement with the rack 58. This finger 84'is secured to an edge of the gear segment 5'7 by a pivot bolt 85ancl has an integral arm 86 connected by a rod 87 to a. small operating lever 88 mounted on thelever 55. When the gauge element '78 is to be inserted in a joint, the finger 84 is withdrawn from the rack 58 by operating the lever 88. This permits movement of the lever 55 in such direc tion as to move the element '78 from a position free of the rail to a position such as that. indicated in Figs. 4 and 6 where it is extended into the joint or between the rail ends.

Asbest shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, a vertical scale 89 is mounted on the top of the plate 25 andua finger 90 is attached to a vertical bracket 91 extending upward from the cutter carriage 17. The scale 89 and indicator finger 90 are provided to facilitate adjusting'the depth of the cut to correspond with the spacing of the rail ends, as indicated by the finger 81 on the scale 82. The graduations on the scales 82 and 89 are proportioned so that the proper depth of cut will'result if the readings on the scales correspond. In the embodiment illustrated, the angle formed by the sides of the wedge element '78 is equal to the angle between the sides of the cut or groove formed by the cutter 14 so that the scales 82' and 89 have graduations equally spaced andsim- 1 which, in turn, has a swivel attachment to the lower endof a long screw 96. This screw has a hand wheel 9'7 on its upper end and its threaded 1 shank engages a nut 98 pivotally secured to the transverse frame member 33 by an arm 99. When the screw96 is turned theshoe 92 is thrust.

downward or drawn upward, depending on the direction of rotation, to adjust the vertical angle of the frame relative to the rail or for tilting the frame transverse the rail. Upon the top of the plate 2.5, a spirit level 100 is secured to indicate the position of the frame as determined by the adjustment of the shoe 92.

To facilitate movement of the frame to and from the rails, a handle 101 is secured to the frame near one end and the upright frame memhere 64 are connected together at their upper ends by a bar 102. A tightener for the belts 43- comprises a roller 1S3 mounted on an arm 104 and having a bolt 185 for securing the arm and roller in positions to tighten the belts. A view of the gauge element '78 is permitted by providing an opening 106 in the bracket 79 and the operation of the cutter 14 may be viewed through an opening 107 in the plate 24.

Operation .readily raise the shoe 92 off the ground or road bed. With the shoe 92 raised, and the wheels on a rail, the machine is run along the track to a joint to be chamfered and the cutter 14 is approximately aligned with the joint. Now the .crank 68 may be actuated to lower the frame to contact with the top of the rails. By manipulating the lever 88, the finger 84 is withdrawn from the rack 58 to permit movement of the lever 55 in such a direction as to thrust the gauge element .78 into operative relation with the joint. Movement of the free end of the lever 55 toward the rail causes the element 78 to be thrust into the joint so that the machine is accurately centered relative to the joint. Simultaneously with this centering operation, the operator depresses the foot lever '26 so as to actuate the cams 75 and thrust the pins '70 into engagement with the sides of the rail. The stationary contact pins 69 having been adjusted previously to the width of the rail head, the operation of the cams 75 causes the pins 70 to straighten the frame relative to the rail in substantially a horizontal plane. If the spirit level 160 does not indicate that the frame is in proper horizontal or tilted position, the wheel 97 is turned in the appropriate direction to tilt the frame to the desired position. This completes the adjustment of the frame relative to the rail, and in order to determine the proper depth of cut, the operator takes a reading of the finger 81 on the scale 82 and manipulates the handle 27 on the screw 26 to bring the finger 90 to a position on the scale 89 corresponding to that of the finger 81 on the scale 82. It will be understood that the cutter 14 is continuously rotated by '1 the connections with the motor 37, hereinbefore described, so that the operator, after adjusting the height of the cutter carriage, merely operates the lever 55 to traverse the cutter across the top of the rail. This produces the chamfer of proper and accurately directed across the joint. The cutter is finally returned to the opposite side of the rail and the machine is ready to be elevated on the wheels 59 and moved to the next joint.

To remove the machine from the track, the operator merely raises one end of the frame, by

manipulating the handle 101 or other convenient part, until the opposite end of the frame rests on the ground and then by pivotal movement about the end resting on the ground, the entire machine is carried free of the track. By reason of its light weight and compact nature, the Inachine is unusually safe for use along a railway right-of-way where there is considerable traffic.

By employing a rotary cutter, the chamfering or beveling of both ends of the rail sections meeting at a joint, is accomplished with one stroke of the carriage across the rail. This reduces the time and work required for the cut and further economies are effected by our arrangement of mechanism whereby the operation of adjusting the machine to proper position relative to the rails is performed quickly and easily.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a frame adapted to extend across the top of a rail to be chamfered, a carriage movable transverse said rail on said frame, a rotary cutter movable vertically on said carriage, a shaft operatively conneoted to said cutter on said carriage and ex 1 tending in the direction of movement of the carriage, power-driven means for actuating said outter supported on said frame, a shaft having telescoping sections connecting said power-driven means with said first mentioned shaft for driving 1 the latter, means permitting flexing of said telescoping shaft to compensate for vertical movement of said cutter while transmitting power thereto and means for actuating said carriage to traverse said cutter relative to the rail.

2. A machine for forming chamfer surfaces on the adjoining ends of rail sections in situ having in combination a rotary cutter, a carriage for said cutter, guides for said carriage permitting movement of the same across a rail and substantially vertically to determine the depth of cut, a gauge element insertible between the adjoining ends of rail sections to indicate the spacing of said ends and scales associated with said gauge element and carriage to facilitate proportioning the depth of the cut to the spacing of the rail ends.

3. A rail chamfering machine having in combination a cutter, a carriage for said cutter permitting movement of the same in a plane extending across a rail and vertically to determine the depth of cut, a gauge element secured to said carriage in fixed relation to said cutter and having a pointed end in said plane, said end being insertible between the adjoining ends of rail sec- 1 tions to align said cutter with the rail joint and thereby equalize the ohamfer formed in the ends of the rails respectively at said joint, and means for actuating said carriage to project said end in the joint and to chamfer the rail ends at said joint.

4. A rail chamfering machine having in combination a rotary cutter, a carriage for said cutter permitting movement of the same across a rail and vertically to determine the depth of out, a T wedge-shaped gauge element mounted on said carriage and insertible between the adjoining ends of rail sections to align said cutter with the joint and indicate the spacing of said ends, scales associated with said gauge element and carriage to facilitate proportioning the depth of the cut to the spacing of the rail ends, means for rotating said cutter and means for traversing said carriage tosimultaneously chamfer the ends of the rails at said joint. 1.

5. A rail chamfering machinev having in com,- bination a frame adapted to extend across the top of a rail and to be partially supported thereon, means for engaging said rail to position said frame relative to the rail, a support for said frame independent of said rail, means, foractuating said support to determine the levelof said frame laterally of the rail, guides for a cutter carriage extending transverse said rail on said frame, a cutter carriage movable along said guides, a cutter on said carriage, a member secured to said carriage and arranged to be inserted in a rail joint to center said cutter relative to said joint and means for traversing said carriage for chamfering said rail joint. 7

6. A rail chamfering machine havingin combination a frame adapted to extend across theto-pof a rail, Wheels for supporting said frame on said rail, means for engaging the sides of said rail to position said frame relative to the rail, a support for said frame independent of said rail, substantially vertical and horizontal guides for a cutter carriage on said frame, a cutter carriage movable along said guides, means for securing said carriage in selected positions on said verticalto i guide to determine the depth of cut, a gauge member secured to said carriage and arranged to be inserted in the rail joint to indicate the degree of spacing of the rails, a rotary cutter on said carriage, power-driven means for rotating said cutterand means for traversing said carriage for chamfering said rail joint.

'7. The combination in a rail chamfering machine movable longitudinally of a railway track, of a carriage movable transverse the supporting rail, a rotary cutter movable on said carriage across the top of the rail, said cutter having elements adapted to simultaneously form like chamfers on the adjoining ends of the rails at the joint, a gauge having a pointed end fixed at the center plane of said cutter and means for actuating the pointed end of said gauge laterally between said ends of the rails, said gauge, when inserted between said ends of the rails, being adapted to accurately center the cutter in the joint to secure equal chamfers on the ends of the rails.

HENRY C. JAMES. EDWARD J. HEAVERS. 

